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Journey to Red Dawn: The Torch of Life
Despite his success on Wall Street, a devoted family, and a life many would envy, Altan is tormented by a recurring dream—one that once became terrifyingly real.
On the edge of walking away from everything, he receives an unusual gift for his fortieth birthday: a mysterious veiled storybook. Hoping for comfort, he opens its pages—only to discover that he has been invited into a deeper, unseen dimension of existence.
What begins as a search for peace turns into a breathtaking journey across Anatolia and beyond. Guided by strange encounters and an unfolding supernatural mystery, Altan is drawn into hidden layers of consciousness, where courage, love, and faith are tested against forces both luminous and dark.
As reality dissolves into revelation, he must confront the ultimate questions:
Who are we beneath our identities?
What survives beyond death?
And what does it truly mean to awaken?
Journey to Red Dawn is a philosophical and spiritual adventure about inner transformation, resilience, and the timeless human search for meaning.
For readers who loved the contemplative depth of The Midnight Library and the allegorical mysticism of The Alchemist, this novel offers a reflective yet immersive odyssey into the heart of existence.
Are you ready to let the sun rise within you?
On the edge of walking away from everything, he receives an unusual gift for his fortieth birthday: a mysterious veiled storybook. Hoping for comfort, he opens its pages—only to discover that he has been invited into a deeper, unseen dimension of existence.
What begins as a search for peace turns into a breathtaking journey across Anatolia and beyond. Guided by strange encounters and an unfolding supernatural mystery, Altan is drawn into hidden layers of consciousness, where courage, love, and faith are tested against forces both luminous and dark.
As reality dissolves into revelation, he must confront the ultimate questions:
Who are we beneath our identities?
What survives beyond death?
And what does it truly mean to awaken?
Journey to Red Dawn is a philosophical and spiritual adventure about inner transformation, resilience, and the timeless human search for meaning.
For readers who loved the contemplative depth of The Midnight Library and the allegorical mysticism of The Alchemist, this novel offers a reflective yet immersive odyssey into the heart of existence.
Are you ready to let the sun rise within you?
404 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2025
About the author
Cagla Meydan
3 books12 followersCagla Meydan is a Turkish-American author of literary fiction exploring consciousness, inner transformation, and the enduring human search for meaning.
After a 13-year career in finance as a U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New York and Istanbul, she turned inward, gradually shifting her focus from external achievement to questions of identity, existence, and awareness. Consequently, she has spent the last ten years deeply immersed in the world of Sufi and other ancient wisdom, metaphysical symbolism, and the exploration of the 'inner self.' Over time, this exploration found expression through poetry, essays, and novels.
Her first novel, 'Sarwan – The Explorer and the Cavalry Master', was published in Turkey in 2020. Her second novel, 'Journey to Red Dawn – The Torch of Life', was published in New York in 2025 and released internationally. Her books blend allegory, philosophy, and mystical symbolism into a fictional journey of inner transformation.
Meydan’s essays and poems have been published in various newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms in Turkey. Continuing her academic interest in philosophy and consciousness studies, she completed a certified program in Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences at the University of Edinburgh.
She also creates content in both Turkish and English on spirituality, consciousness, philosophy, and the themes of her books through her YouTube channels.
After a 13-year career in finance as a U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New York and Istanbul, she turned inward, gradually shifting her focus from external achievement to questions of identity, existence, and awareness. Consequently, she has spent the last ten years deeply immersed in the world of Sufi and other ancient wisdom, metaphysical symbolism, and the exploration of the 'inner self.' Over time, this exploration found expression through poetry, essays, and novels.
Her first novel, 'Sarwan – The Explorer and the Cavalry Master', was published in Turkey in 2020. Her second novel, 'Journey to Red Dawn – The Torch of Life', was published in New York in 2025 and released internationally. Her books blend allegory, philosophy, and mystical symbolism into a fictional journey of inner transformation.
Meydan’s essays and poems have been published in various newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms in Turkey. Continuing her academic interest in philosophy and consciousness studies, she completed a certified program in Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences at the University of Edinburgh.
She also creates content in both Turkish and English on spirituality, consciousness, philosophy, and the themes of her books through her YouTube channels.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 11, 2026
Review Journey to Red Dawn
Ruby is a doctor, on a typical day, she had to operate a patient, whom she could not save. When is out of the operation theatre she learns that, in a car accident, a little kid has lost both her parents, one of whom she was operating. Her heart sinks, she leaves home.
Altan, Ruby’s husband is a very successful man at his job, but a tragic incident has left him traumatised. He lost himself to that tragedy and quits his job. On his 40th birthday, he receives a book from his grandfather, though his parents. His grandfather wrote that book for him, handed it over to his parents to gift him on his 40th birthday, this book changes Atlan into a different person altogether.
On his birthday, he runs into an odd store, when an unexpected rain pours down, when he was walking home. This meeting is another turning event in his life. Ruby is pregnant and she wanted to tell him about this news on the birthday, in the surprise party she planned. But what does Atlan do, after coming out of the store. How does things change in his life, and Ruby’s life as an after effect of this.
A journey, a realization, a transformation, Atlan is on this path, but would he, could he, and will he return to Ruby, ever. Does he find what he is looking for, and how. The path he picks is spiritual, but the chance to returning to what he is today, was not possible. Where Atlan goes, what he realizes and would Ruby ever meet him, does her child know his/her father?
The knowledge that we could gather in the book is great, there is a depth in that and a bit of work for your brain to gather and understand it.
The book is a wonderful journey and is worth reading. I would like to thank the author for giving me a review copy, against my honest review. So here it is. I am glad to have read the book, I hope you too should be.
My rating is 3.5, however I should admit that the over all adventure trip of Altan was over whelming, I sure sort of lost sometimes during the read but then not bad too.
Ruby is a doctor, on a typical day, she had to operate a patient, whom she could not save. When is out of the operation theatre she learns that, in a car accident, a little kid has lost both her parents, one of whom she was operating. Her heart sinks, she leaves home.
Altan, Ruby’s husband is a very successful man at his job, but a tragic incident has left him traumatised. He lost himself to that tragedy and quits his job. On his 40th birthday, he receives a book from his grandfather, though his parents. His grandfather wrote that book for him, handed it over to his parents to gift him on his 40th birthday, this book changes Atlan into a different person altogether.
On his birthday, he runs into an odd store, when an unexpected rain pours down, when he was walking home. This meeting is another turning event in his life. Ruby is pregnant and she wanted to tell him about this news on the birthday, in the surprise party she planned. But what does Atlan do, after coming out of the store. How does things change in his life, and Ruby’s life as an after effect of this.
A journey, a realization, a transformation, Atlan is on this path, but would he, could he, and will he return to Ruby, ever. Does he find what he is looking for, and how. The path he picks is spiritual, but the chance to returning to what he is today, was not possible. Where Atlan goes, what he realizes and would Ruby ever meet him, does her child know his/her father?
The knowledge that we could gather in the book is great, there is a depth in that and a bit of work for your brain to gather and understand it.
The book is a wonderful journey and is worth reading. I would like to thank the author for giving me a review copy, against my honest review. So here it is. I am glad to have read the book, I hope you too should be.
My rating is 3.5, however I should admit that the over all adventure trip of Altan was over whelming, I sure sort of lost sometimes during the read but then not bad too.
Displaying 1 of 1 review